"No," she said. "That would be to miss half the fun of the situation.
The thing must be more dramatic. Besides, I want it to happen at
Sampaolo. I want him to go to Sampaolo. And I want to tempt him and
test him.
"'Not so, said she, but I will see
If there be any faith in man.'"
she quoted (or misquoted?—I forget). "He shall go to Sampaolo and be tempted. With his own eyes he shall behold the heritage of the Valdeschi. Then he shall be approached by his cousin's friends,—by the reluctant but obedient Commendatore Fregi, for example,—and sorely tempted. I 've got rather a subtle little scheme. I 'll explain it to you later—he 'll be arriving at any moment now. He shall leave for Sampaolo to-morrow morning. You and I will leave the morning after, if you please. Only, of course, he's to know nothing about that—he's to suppose that we 're remaining here."
She attempted a somewhat delicate stroke off the cushion, and achieved it.
"Good shot," approved Miss Sandus. "But you are forgetting Mr. Willes.
Mr. Willes will tell him."
"No, I 've not forgotten Mr. Willes," said Susanna. "I should n't very much mind letting Mr. Willes into my confidence. But I think on the whole I 'll make him take Mr. Willes with him."
"You 're nothing if not arbitrary," Miss Sandus laughed.
"I come of a line of tyrants," said Susanna. "And, anyhow, what's the good of possessing power, if you 're not to exercise and enjoy it?"
The clock on the mantelpiece began to strike three.
"Mr. Craford," announced a servant.